Insulated rail-joint.



I G. L. HALL.

INSULATED RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 26, 1909.

937,369. l Patented oen 19,1909.

fx m Ai TTOR/VE YS T 0 all whom it may concern:

(wonen L HALL, or NEW YORK, n. Y,

INSULATED RAIIhJ'ONT.: y

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented oet. 19, v190e.

Applicationvled March 26,v 1909. .Serial'No 486,052.

Be it known that I, GEORGE L. HALL, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain` new and useful lmproveinents in'InsuJy lated Rall-Joints, of which the following isa specification; reference being had therein to the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure 1 1s a transverse'sectional view of the joint on the line l-I'of Fig. 2 ;v Fig. 2. a

. tion; and -Figgb a similar view shovving the side elevation, a lportion of one of the fish plates being broken away and a portion of the base plate being shown in section Fig.` 3 4 'a 'longitudinal vertical sectional view of a modified' form ofbase plate; Fig. 4 a detail side elevation showing the two-part insulatwo-part protecting plate.

One of the main objects of this invention is to provide an insulated joint of great durability.

i-QAnother object of the invention is to thoro-ughly protect the insulation from moisture and to maintain it under compression, `therebyfpreventing the `disintegration of the insulation and lengthening its life.

' Another important 'object ofthe invention is to' construct the jointof simple parts that. maybe readily rolled7 the-splice bars being of the ordinary commercial form.

Itwill, of course, be understood that I do y not wish to. be limited to the exact form' of y:they leave rail l.

splice bars or base support or other 'partserably use the hard'iber usually employed in insulated rail joints. AThe insulatitm is divided longitudinally on4 the lme of the bolts connecting the rails to form an Lipper ortion 4c and a lower portion 41j. The adjoin' edges of these two portions of the msula 'on are notched to lit over the bolts or the insulation around the bolts, to pre-v vent longitudinal movement of the insula-l tion.

Bearing against the insulation and presslng closely against the entire outer surface thereof is a thin steel protecting sheath or plate 5. This steel protecting plate bears tightly against the outer surface of' the insulation and maintains the insulation under compression and practically sealed against access of moisture, except, of course,vat the exposed edges thereof. This protecting plate is formed in two sections 5 and 5b.

The upper section 5a is formed with the upper portion -which extends upwardly and outwardly and lits against the insulatlon under the head ofthe rail, and with the lower vertical portion v7 which fits against the insulation along the web of the' rail; The lower edge of the portion a terminates just below the upper surfaces of -the bolts, .as shown clearly in Fig. 2, and is notched as at 8 to receive the bolt insulatlons, as shown in-Figs. 1 and 2 and to prevent endwise movement of they plate between the splice .bar and the insulation. Both sections of the plate 'extend the entire length of the Splice bars and bridge the joint between the rails.

The lower portion 5" of the protecting plate is formed with the outwardly and downwardlyT inclined portion 9 which lits over the insulation on the base of the rail; and'with the vertical upwardly extending portion 10 which fits closely against the. insulation on the web of the rail. The upper edge of the lower portion 5* of the protecting plate is notched as at 1l to prevent any longitudinal movement of that. portion of the protecting plate. lt will be notedthat the sections or portions Vof the protecting plate are identical in shape with the corresponding portions of the insulation.

It will thus be seen that the insulation is maintained under compression throughout its entire length and breadth and that it is completely protected from moisture and from' the disintegrating action of the splice bar. It is also apparent that`by dividing the protecting plate'and the insulation as described the portions thereof are free to inove independently during the adjustment of the splice bars thereon.

The base support consists preferably of a plate 12 provided on its upper surface near one end' with a strip of insulationl to fit under the endl of the rail 1. On its other end it is provided with a raised center. ortionlai` corresponding in thickness to the insulationl 9. rl`his raised portion may be integral with the plate or it may be a separate plate secured thereto, as indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawing, this metal plate or enlargement supporting the' adjoining ends of the rail 2. The objectof this is to support the rail 2 on material which will not be damaged by the impact as the car wheels travel from rail 1 to rail 2.

The splice bars 15 are each formed with the vertical web of the usual construction, the upperv edge 16 thereof bearing against the under side of that portion o f the protecting plate which fits against the insulation under the rail head. The splice bars are each provided with the outwardly and downwardly inclined base part 17 which is adapted to bear on the corresponding part 9 of the protecting plate; and with the horizontal outwardly extending flange 18 by means of which they are' bolted to thegbase plate, asshown clearly in Fig. 1.

It will, of course, be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the use of 'base plates or to the luse of splice bars formed .with flanges `18.

' In Fig. 3 is shown a modified form of base plate in which a bearing plate 19 is'secured to an intermediate strip or .plate of 'insulation 20. By this means the fiber-is protected and held under compression throughout its 'entire area, the plate 1-9 receiving the wear occasioned by the lateral or longitudinal movement of the rail on its support.

Having thus described my invention what l l the rail heads, the webs thereof and on thel upper surfaces of the bases o f the rails, thin protecting means fitting closely against the insulation throughout the entire area of the .insulation to maintain said insulation vunder compression and to protect it from moisture, vand a splicebar 'enga f g said protecting means and forcing saiuineans against the insulation, said splice bar engagin said protecting means under-the heads o the rails and over the bases thereof. j .Y

2. An insulated rail' joint comprising sheet insulation adapted to tit under the head yof the rail along the web thereof and over the base of the rail, thin metal protecting means fitting closely against the'ginsulationand protecting the same, said-metal -protectin means being formed with an upwardly an downwardlyinclined part to it over thebase of the rail, and splice bar a'dapted to force head of the rail andoverfthe base thereof.

y port under one rail end. outwardly'iextending part to fit under the head-of the 'rail and with an outwardly and 3. An insulated rail joint comprising I sheet insulation adapted to fit under the hea ofthe rail along the web thereof and over the base' of the rail, a thin metal protecting plate fitting closely against the insulation and protecting the same, said protecting plate being divided horizontally to form an upper portion and a lower portion separable from each other, the upper portion being formed with the upwardly and outwardly extending part" adapted to tit. underthe head of the rail and the lower portion being formed with the out` wardly and downwardly-extending art to tit over thebase ofthe rail `and a sp icebar adapted to force said. protecting plate' inwardly and to engage said plate under the 4.: An insulated "rail joint comprising sheet. insulation adapted 'to fit under the head of the rail along the web thereof and over' the base of the rail, a thin metal protecting plate fitting closely against the insulation and protecting the same, said protecting plate being divided horizontally to form an u per portion and a lower portion separable rom each other, the upper portion being formed with the upwardly and outwardly extending part adaptedto fit under the head of the rail and the lower portion being formed with the out'- wardly and downwardly extending part to tit over the base of the rail. the ad]oinng horizntal edges of these two portions being notched to receive the securing bolts to prevent endwise v movement of said portions,- and a splice bar adapted to force said protecting plate inwardly and to engage. said plate under the head of the rail and over the. base thereof. A n.' 5. The combination with the meeting-ends of two rails, of'insulation fitting against the rails underthefheads, over the bases and along the webs thereof, thin protecting plates conforming te` the shape of the rails and t` ting under the heads of the rails, along 'the vwebs, thereof and over the bases of said rails, said protecting plates holding the insulation rigidly in .placeagainst the rail and mainthe same inwardly against. the insulation, said splice bars being formed with outwardly extending horizontal flanges at their lowerl edges, a base support, means for thel p' over Vthe base of the rail,- insulation be- 1 30 taining said insulation under compressionr i and free froml moisture, splice bars engaving the protecting plates underthe heads of1 the rails and over the bases thereof and forcing wardly and' downwardly extending part to tit over the base of theiail, anda splice bar adapted to forcel said protecting plate inwardly and to'engage said y )late under the 'head ofthe rail and over the ase thereof.

'7. An insulated rail joint comprising a sheet of iiisulationdapted to'fit under the head of the rail al'ng the web thereof and over the base of the rail, a thin metal protecting plate fitting closely against the insulation and protecting the saine, said protecting plate being 'formed lwith an upwardly and outwardly extending aart to fit undery the head of the rail andwith an outwardly vand downwardly inclined part to fit over the base of the rail', the insulation and the protecting plate being diyided horizontallyl t to form separable sections substantially identical in shape, and a splice bar adaptedto engage the protecting plate under the headof the rail and over the base thereof. e S. An insulated rail joint comprisinvth'e ineetino ends of two rails, insulation adapted to 4t under the heads of the rails along the webs thereof and over the bases of the rails. saidinsulaton.bridging the joint between the rails. thinI metal protecting in'eaiisi: fitting closely against the insulation and protecting the same, said protecting means being formed with an upwardly and outwardly extending 'part to fit under the rail head, andan outwardly and downwardl inclined part to fit over the base of the rai said'protectinfr means bridging the joint between the rai s and extending throughout` ythe length of the insulation', and a splice bar adaptedto'force said' protect-ing means inwardly and to engage said means under4 the head of the rail and over the basethereof. A v y 9. An insulated rail joint comprising a 'sheet of insulation adapted to fit under the head of the rail, along the webI thereof and over the base of the rail, said insulation being divided horizontallyto forman upper portion and a lower portion separable fromA ,each other, a thin metal' protecting plate `fitting' closely `against the insulation and protecting t-he same, said` protecting plate being divided horizontally to forman upper portion and alower portion separable from lich other, the uppgr portion beingformed.

`with the upwardly and outwardly extending part adapted to fit under the head of the rail and the lower portion being formed with the outwardly and downwardly extending part to'iit over the base of the rail, a splice bar adapted to force said retest ing plateV inwardly and to engage said plate `under the head of the rail and over the base' thereof, said splice bar being formed with an outwardly extending flange at its lower edge, a base support, means for securing the splice bar flange to said base Support, and insulating material carried by said base support under one rail end.

l0. An insulated rail joint comprising a sheet of insulation adapted to fit under the 'head' of the rail along the web thereof and over the base of the ifaila thin metal protecting plate fitting closely against the insulation and protecting the saine, said protecting plate being formed with an upwardly and outwardly extending partto fit underl the head of the rail and with an outwardly and downwardlyiinclined part to fit over the base of the rail, the insulation andthe protecting plate being divided horizontallyto form separable sections substantially iden- -l injlshape, asplice bar adapted to envage e protecting plate under the head ota the rail and over the'base thereof, said splice 'bar' being formed with an outwardly extending ilange .at its lower edge, a base support, means for securing t e splice bar flange to said base support,.and insulating material carried by said basesupport under one rail end. Y i

11. An insulated `rail joint comprising sheet insulation adapted to fit under the head of the rail along the web thereof and over the base of -the railth,in metal rotecting means fitting closely Lagainst vthe insulation and protecting the saine, said metal protecting means being formed with an upwardly and voutwardly extending part to fity under the head of the rail and with an outwardly :and downwardly inclined part to lit over the base of the rail, a splice bar adapted to force saidl protecting means inwardly and to engage said means under the head of the rail meansfor securing the splice bar'fiange to said base support, andinsulating material carried by said base support under one rail end. i

'In testimony'whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses this 25th d 'ayrof March 1909.

" GEORGE L. HALL.

v Witnesses: 'y

' WM. R. Davis,

E. H. KAUFMNN. v 

